1. Field of the Invention
The process of the present invention is related to the generation of film quality images using videotape production and post production procedures and equipment.
2. Art Background
The economies of videotape are well recognized in television production. Video cameras and equipment are more economical to use and the videotape image is immediately available for production purposes. However, it is also recognized that images recorded on videotape do not have the same pleasing "film look" as film. Although film produced images are aesthetically more pleasing, the film process and equipment is quite expensive and film production entails time consuming development and post production processes.
Several post production processes attempt to provide a "film look" to images shot originally on videotape. The first process, as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,342 entitled Method and Apparatus for Enhancing Video-Recorded Images to Film Grade Quality, produces a composite video image and utilizing a composite video signal as input, modifies the signal to emulate the frame rate normally associated with film display and then adds certain color correction to provide gamma correction to the video signal using a grey scale typically associated with a motion picture film recording. Noise is also introduced into each frame of the video signal via a random noise generator in order to simulate the texture of emulsion film. However, this process degrades the quality of the final recorded video signal. The introduction of frame motion artifacts mimicking the artifact created when film is transferred to video also contributes to the degradation of the image. U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,816 entitled Method and Apparatus for Video Image Film Simulation describes a post-production process in which the video signal is modified to simulate film frame speed by summing a real time signal and delay signals to create an interpolation of preceding and succeeding video fields. Clipped filtered white noise is summed with the picture portion of the video signal to simulate the grain of film. This process is a post production process that similarly introduces undesirable signal noise and artifacts in an attempt to simulate a film image.
A commercially available process, "Film Finish.TM. is a post production process offered by Planet Blue, Los Angeles, Calif., which performs digital color correction in the digital domain to provide a "film look".
Generally, the desired "look" may vary from producer to producer. Furthermore, as many different "film looks" exist, caused by variables of shooting film, such as film stock, laboratory and exposure practices, there are no specific requirements to follow in order to match the desired look.